Obasanjo, Mark, Ekweremadu harp on party discipline

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Senate President, David Mark, and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Monday underscored the need for discipline in political parties.

Obasanjo, Mark and Ekweremadu spoke at a two-day workshop organised by the National Institute for Legislative Studies with the theme: “Party politics in Nigeria and lobbying, the lobbyist and the legislature.”

The former President noted that without discipline, no political party can endure.

Describing discipline as an important aspect of the military, he warned that no human institution can fulfill its obligations without discipline.

Obasanjo also stressed the need for the electorate to hold political office holders accountable to their party manifestoes.

He regretted that political parties in the country have reduced party manifestoes to “mere instruments for political campaign.”

He added that most political parties in the country throw away their party manifestoes shortly after being voted into office.

Obasanjo, who said that some political parties operate without manifestoes, wondered how political parties or elected officers would be held accountable to their promises by the electorate without manifestoes.

He said, “I want to say that there are some areas, where political parties need improvement. One of them is the issue of manifestoes. What I have come to see and understand in Nigeria is that manifestoes are prepared for campaigns and afterwards, they are thrown away.

“How then can we hold parties and their elected leaders to their promises and manifestoes? Or if they have no manifestoes, what do we hold them to.”

He noted that since political parties are the only vehicle through which individuals can participate in election, politicians should acquire basic ingredients of party politics in order to make election fair, free and transparent.

Mark on his part urged the panelists to direct their ingenuity on how to solve the problem of indiscipline, lack of cohesion, ideology drought and absence of internal democracy and transparency in political parties.

He added that deep reflection should as well be given to the malady of intra and inter-party squabbles.

For Ekweremadu internal party democracy is a prerequisite for democratic governance and national development.

Ekweremadu, who is also Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Institute for Legislative Studies said political parties are critical institutions of democracy, since “their philosophies and manifestoes are the fulcrums around which politicking and governance should ordinarily revolve.”

We really don’t have parties in nigeria. All what “MR OBJ” is saying is true, that is why the legislators are always angry with him revelling the truth. BABA will be alive to help nigeria redevelop amen.

Not all parties throw away their manifesto after elections. While there is room for improvement, some parties are still striving to do something for the electorate within their means, while others do virtually nothing and refuse to leave when asked to. So to really help matters, OBJ and others should have mentioned names and exactly where they fall short. I have never and will never buy into the “all parties are the same” crap. No, they are not the same. Yes, they may all have certain undesirable characteristics peculiar to Nigerian politics. But no sir, we, the electorate, can still distinguish very well.

In most cases the process is manipulated to favor the anointed candidates. And so when people attain political offices through such a criminal process they often don’t give a damn about party manifesto. Rather, they concentrate on fulfilling the agreement they had with the cabal that manipulated the process in their favor. There is no internal democracy or credible process in any political party in Nigeria. Obj, Mark and Ekweremadu are all products of a manipulated process and so do not qualify to talk about party discipline.

Devil will also attempt to preach the ” good tidings” for the hidden motive of snaring his preys! May the Lord deliver us from the snares and antics of the Marks, OBJs, Ekeremadus,…….of this world and their cohorts..

I salute our leaders for their comments on party discipline. But i expect them to also know that such discipline would be better appreciated and emulated if it flows from the top down to the lowest rung of the ladder. Political office holders immediately assume positions of party leaders and become bigger than the party. Thereafter handpick candidates for other elections. With a system like this, loyalty is to that ‘leader’ and not to the party. Lets have true democratic proccesses in our political parties, while all political office holders remain submissive to their parties

This is a demonstration of irresponsibility and display of shamelessness by pdp leader. I think these people in pdp are taking as forgranted. we are still alive when in last pdp primaries which produced Goodluck as presidential candidate that there is no zoning in pdp only to turned around after election that the party should uphold to its zoning arrangement. Now they talking of party displine in Nigeria political parties. It is only in pdp one can see this display of shameless old faces. Please God take charge.